Merry Christmas in January!

Okay, I know it's been about 3 weeks (who's counting..?) since I've posted an update.

Here are some pictures from Christmas Eve.

The Jones family has a tradition and it is:

We all get together for breakfast at a restaurant around 8:30. After breakfast we head downtown to Westlake to meet up with Santa at Macy's for a photo opp.

Last year we were able to make reservations but this year we had to wait in line for a little over an hour. During the wait for Santa, Mike and Sue have taken Ethan to the Merry-Go-Round but this year Ethan and his sisters got to enjoy the ride!

After the pictures are taken with Santa we all get about an hour or so to do some shopping.

After all of the hanging out downtown we head back up to either Mike and Sue's house or Tim and Renee's for the ol' traditional cheese and chocolate fondue (dark chocolate.. yuk!).

Presents are next and that usually lasts a few hours.

Whoa. What a day! It's a long day but it's fun.

I got this hat at a Fred Meyer's about 7 years ago! I get SO many compliments on it.

I'm sure we have a picture with Ethan smiling but I thought this one was cute!

Sue and Willa.

Mike and Esmee.

After breakfast and before heading downtown, we stopped off at a toy store in Wallingford called Archie McPhee's. The girls left with these wigs.

Grandpa Mike gave EACH of the kids their own set of "moon shoes". They are meant to be worn with shoes and we learned pretty fast that they are also meant to be worn outside.

Each of the kids also got a cool backpack with their name on it and it was funny to watch Willa put each gift that she opened in hers after she opened it. This was taken when we were done opening all the gifts and we had finished our chocolate fondue.

What a cutie-pie.

Nick's other brother and wife (Mitch and Kim) live in Virginia.

This was a love note to them.

HAHA!!!

This was Nick's coffee that I made for him on Christmas morning. I didn't try to do this or even know how I did it but took a moment to snap a picture.

I told him it's because I make his coffee with love every morning. =) ahhh!

Chester and MoMo are doing well. They LOVE messing with eachother. They've been hiding from eachother around corners and trying to scare the other. It's so fun to watch them race to the top of this cat tree and play king of the castle.

While I am putting this blog together - Chester is cuddling with Nick and the blanket that he has on his lap. Cute, huh?

The final days in Mexico.

On Saturday 12-12-2009 we headed into town for our last full day in P. V.

We didn't even know it was a holiday!

Turns out that it was the Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe. (I've been told that it's as big of a holiday as the 4th of July is to us here in the states!)

The streets were FILLED with tons of people that were waiting for their turn to go inside the church (to see the statue of the Virgin Mary). It was cool to see all of the kids dressed up. The girls had dresses on and their hair braided and the little boys had fake moustaches and sideburns colored on.

We saw kids carrying around a little bird cages but I never did figure out what that was about.

Most of the little boys had a hat on as well. I think this one was done wearing his.

A shot from downtown.

If you look closely.. you can see all the people lined up to go to the church.

This was part of the parade.

This was a stand about a block down from the church.

Even though there wasn't any music we saw lots of kids dancing.

And... We're home!

This was taken at SeaTac around midnight after traveling ALL day long.

It took us about an hour to get our luggage due to a "mechanical error".

I was not a happy camper.

Well there you have it. Our trip to Mexico. We're heading back down there for a week in March but this time we're going down with Nick's family. His brother and wife that live in VA are meeting us there and it's going to be the first time they get to meet the girls!

The next post will be about our Christmas. =)

Never forgotten....

Last week - My parents had to put Amethyst down. She was 12 years old and part of the family. They gave Amethyst the best life a dog could ask for. From special treats (chicken jerky) and an occasional raw eggs (shells included) in her food bowl to walks into the woods everyday so that she could smell all the "smells" outside of the fence.

You could always tell that Amethyst, Titan and Honey Bear were like children to my parents.

=)

You will never be forgotten Amethyst.

Amethyst Tandy-Guerrero

1997 - 2009